TAZ negatively regulates the novel tumor suppressor ANKRD52 and promotes PAK1 dephosphorylation in lung adenocarcinomas

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, and therefore the discovery of novel therapeutic targets is crucial. P21-activated kinase (PAK1) is an important oncogene involved in the signaling of actin cytoskeleton organization. Although PAK1 inhibition has been shown to suppress cancer progression, specific PAK1 inhibitors are not available due to the complex structure and insufficient understanding of this kinase. The Hippo signaling effector TAZ is known to be elevated in multiple human cancers and to promote cancer metastasis. This study aimed to explore the role of TAZ in regulating the tumor suppressor ankyrin repeat domain 52 (ANKRD52) and PAK1 activity. A negative correlation between TAZ and ANKRD52 was observed, with knockdown of TAZ leading to enhanced ANKRD52 promoter activity and increased mRNA levels. Moreover, reduced ANKRD52 levels were associated with late-stage lung cancer. Knockdowns of ANKRD52 resulted in elevated cell mobility, while forced ANKRD52 expression attenuated cell mobility. ANKRD52 is a subunit of the protein phosphatase 6 (PP6) holoenzyme. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed the interaction between PAK1 and the ANKRD52-PP6 complex. Knockdown of ANKRD52 or PP6c resulted in upregulated PAK1 phosphorylation. Our study demonstrates that the novel tumor suppressor protein ANKRD52 is transcriptionally inhibited by TAZ, regulating cell mobility through interactions with PP6c and dephosphorylation of PAK1.